Palynological Study of the Campano-Maastrichtian Nkporo Group of Anambra Basin, Southeastern, Nigeria

Palynological assemblages were used in the determination of the age and paleoenvironment of the Nkporo and Enugu Formations of the Anambra Basin, Southeastern Nigeria. Palynological analysis carried out in over twenty-five samples (25) yielded spores, pollens and marine species. The main diagnostic species of spores and pollen recovered includes; Foveotriletes margaritae, Distaverrusporites simplex, Cingulatisporites ornatus, Echitriporites trianguliformis, Longapertites marginatus, Proteacidites segali, Monocolpites marginatus, Constructipollenites ineffectus, Buttinia andreevi, and Retidiporites which were dated to Late Campanian to Earliest Maastrichtian. Also, other sporomorphs includes; Longapertites marginatus (overwhelming abundance), Longapertites microfoveolatus, Longapertites vaneedenburgi, Spinizonocolpites baculatus, Foveotriletes margaritae, Distaverrusporites simplex, Cingulatisporites ornatus, Matonisporites equiexinus, Azolla marsulae, Mauritidiites crassibaculatus, Constructipollenites ineffectus, Echitriporites trianguliformis, Foveotriletes margaritae, and Leiotriletes minor were assigned to Early Maastrichtian. From the palynological analysis, the age-diagnostic index palynomorphs reveal that the Nkporo Group is within Late Campanian to Early Maastrichtian and the depositional environment is mostly marginal marine to marine